The way students learn today is evolving. However, the same cannot be said for how we teach our students. Many students are often stuck learning the way others did years ago as teachers recycle their lesson plans. Teachers become complacent and remain in their old ways instead of evolving with their students. The constructivist approach looks to incorporate alternative ways to learn and looks towards an end goal for students in which they can put their learning to good use.
When it comes to arts based learning many teachers have remained stagnant while our students have evolved and become interested in different types of arts. Today, student interests go beyond the paint and brush. Digital art is a current trend and students seek to be a part of it. Students who are in junior, intermediate or secondary are seeking skills that they can utilize in their future careers or personal lives. When it comes to the art, we must take this into consideration when teaching. Digital Arts sounds expensive and out of the budget for many schools, however it can be very basic and depending on resources become more elaborate. To teach the arts and incorporate technology does not have to be difficult. Here are a few ideas that allow students to unleash their creativity and re-engage with their learning.
Photography via Smartphones
Students can use their own device (Smartphone, tablet or digital camera) to take pictures of things they enjoy. This could be family, friends or activities. Students can bring their own device. If some students do not have many schools are beginning to incorporate tablets for use.These photos can help towards making interactive stop-motion animation videos to tell a story or used for graphic design and photograph editing. Using Adobe Photoshop (or similar programs) students can learn what kinds of pictures they should take and how they can edit them to increase quality or put in features to enhance the images.
Here are some examples of images altered in Photoshop. Examples
Video Cameras
One of the most basic ways to engage students is by giving them a video camera. Video cameras can be used for many things from learning how to edit to recording a drama scene. By allowing students to do this, they can let the creative juices flow and come up with different ways to act and present themselves in front of a camera. This can help with their presentation skills while learning how to use different types of technology.
Once that’s done students can edit what they have created. Programs such as iMovie and Movie Maker are readily available for download. These programs allow students to create their own movies or shows from what they have recorded. Again, students can use their own devices such as smartphones or tablets to record video and edit as well. An interesting activity many teachers are doing is allowing students to create reflections or video journals for their classes. Students are able to create a Vlog to track their feelings or thoughts on projects or assignments.
Here is an example of a student made public service announcement
Music Education
Music has gone beyond basic playing of instruments. Instruments are now programed onto computers and you don’t need to know how to play. Instead, you need to know how to compose on your computer. There has been a spike in interest in music composition amongst students and teachers and schools must embrace this interest.
Providing students with options in terms of how they want to learn about music is important to allow creativity to flow and build key skills they can use later on.
Discussion This type of arts based learning can be paired with other teaching areas such as English or History. Students could write, compose and produce a song about a topic of interest to them. This would allow them to become more involved in their writing while learning how to use technology to bring their assignments to life.
By incorporating alternative methods to learning students begin to take hold of their learning and choosing which way they would like to go and what they would like to learn. Using technology to enhance arts based learning will lead to future creativity and engagement amongst students. However, technology does not have to be the main aspect in lessons and classrooms. Having the option to use it will allow students to become aware of different arts forms, all while building skills and becoming more fluent and comfortable with different software and products. The goal of holistic education to allow the learner to find identity, meaning and purpose through what they learn. By providing options, incorporating different types of technologies, programs and applications, students become more involved in their own learning. Teachers begin to take note of different learning styles and planning for those which allows students to gain more ‘meat’ from what they would normally learn.
Arts Based Holistic Curriculum
The way students learn today is evolving. However, the same cannot be said for how we teach our students. Many students are often stuck learning the way others did years ago as teachers recycle their lesson plans. Teachers become complacent and remain in their old ways instead of evolving with their students. The constructivist approach looks to incorporate alternative ways to learn and looks towards an end goal for students in which they can put their learning to good use.
When it comes to arts based learning many teachers have remained stagnant while our students have evolved and become interested in different types of arts. Today, student interests go beyond the paint and brush. Digital art is a current trend and students seek to be a part of it. Students who are in junior, intermediate or secondary are seeking skills that they can utilize in their future careers or personal lives. When it comes to the art, we must take this into consideration when teaching. Digital Arts sounds expensive and out of the budget for many schools, however it can be very basic and depending on resources become more elaborate. To teach the arts and incorporate technology does not have to be difficult. Here are a few ideas that allow students to unleash their creativity and re-engage with their learning.
Photography via Smartphones
Students can use their own device (Smartphone, tablet or digital camera) to take pictures of things they enjoy. This could be family, friends or activities. Students can bring their own device. If some students do not have many schools are beginning to incorporate tablets for use.These photos can help towards making interactive stop-motion animation videos to tell a story or used for graphic design and photograph editing. Using Adobe Photoshop (or similar programs) students can learn what kinds of pictures they should take and how they can edit them to increase quality or put in features to enhance the images.
Here are some examples of images altered in Photoshop.
Examples
Video Cameras
One of the most basic ways to engage students is by giving them a video camera. Video cameras can be used for many things from learning how to edit to recording a drama scene. By allowing students to do this, they can let the creative juices flow and come up with different ways to act and present themselves in front of a camera. This can help with their presentation skills while learning how to use different types of technology.
Once that’s done students can edit what they have created. Programs such as iMovie and Movie Maker are readily available for download. These programs allow students to create their own movies or shows from what they have recorded. Again, students can use their own devices such as smartphones or tablets to record video and edit as well. An interesting activity many teachers are doing is allowing students to create reflections or video journals for their classes. Students are able to create a Vlog to track their feelings or thoughts on projects or assignments.
Here is an example of a student made public service announcement
Music Education
Music has gone beyond basic playing of instruments. Instruments are now programed onto computers and you don’t need to know how to play. Instead, you need to know how to compose on your computer. There has been a spike in interest in music composition amongst students and teachers and schools must embrace this interest.
Providing students with options in terms of how they want to learn about music is important to allow creativity to flow and build key skills they can use later on.
Discussion
This type of arts based learning can be paired with other teaching areas such as English or History. Students could write, compose and produce a song about a topic of interest to them. This would allow them to become more involved in their writing while learning how to use technology to bring their assignments to life.
By incorporating alternative methods to learning students begin to take hold of their learning and choosing which way they would like to go and what they would like to learn. Using technology to enhance arts based learning will lead to future creativity and engagement amongst students. However, technology does not have to be the main aspect in lessons and classrooms. Having the option to use it will allow students to become aware of different arts forms, all while building skills and becoming more fluent and comfortable with different software and products. The goal of holistic education to allow the learner to find identity, meaning and purpose through what they learn. By providing options, incorporating different types of technologies, programs and applications, students become more involved in their own learning. Teachers begin to take note of different learning styles and planning for those which allows students to gain more ‘meat’ from what they would normally learn.
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